Leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently unveiled legislation that would reinforce the federal-state partnership model for regulating the nation’s waters.
Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, co-sponsored the Waters of the United States Regulatory Overreach Protection Act. The measure would prevent expansion of EPA jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA), according to a press release.
“Regulation of the nation’s waters must be done in a manner that responsibly protects the environment, without an unnecessary and costly expansion of the federal government,” Shuster said. “This bill ensures that we can continue to protect our waters without unreasonable and burdensome regulations on our businesses, farmers and families.”
The bill would prohibit the EPA from finalizing or implementing any rules to expand the definition of “waters of the United States” under the CWA. It would also require the agency to consult state and local governments to determine the impact of any new policies.
Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.), who authored the bill, said the legislation would safeguard against the federal government making regulatory decisions that are better handled by state and local officials.
“By getting Washington out of the way, we’re also providing our farmers, manufacturers, transportation builders and construction industries with the certainty they need to grow America’s economy, free from the regulatory burden of D.C. bureaucrats,” Southerland said.
The legislation would require the EPA to submit a final report to Congress that outlines proposed regulations and the role of state and local officials in the development process.